'Crime Tourist' Traits Detailed In Abington Township

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA —With "Crime Tourists" targeting township homes, Abington Township Police Department investigators have discovered common traits used in residential burglaries.

Abington Police recently received several burglary reports in the Meadowbrook and Rydal areas from the "crime tourists," who are reportedly from South America and/or Eastern Europe and target high-end homes.

The common traits observed by investigators include:

• Nearly all of these burglaries happen within the first two hours of darkness.
• The suspects often case a home for hours, or even days before the burglary.
• Burglars specifically target residences where they believe no one is home.
• Intelligence indicates that suspects in these cases do not want to encounter the homeowner during their burglaries and will avoid homes that are occupied.
• In two recent cases in our area, the suspects fled immediately upon seeing a resident in the home.
• Entry is usually gained by smashing through a window or door in the rear of the home.
• Some suspects utilize sophisticated Wi-Fi/Cellular jamming devices which are illegal to possess in the United States. The use of these devices has been confirmed in several past Abington burglaries and has also been confirmed to be a nationwide trend.
• A driver will drop off 2-4 suspects in the area of the targeted home and will circle the neighborhood until contacted by the burglars to get picked back up near the home.
• It is most common for the suspects to utilize rental cars with out-of-state license plates. Common states of origin are New York and Florida.
• In past burglaries, suspects have been known to use a ruse such as a pizza delivery or a well-dressed female to knock on the door, to see if anyone was home.
• In another incident, the suspects threw small pebbles at an upstairs window, then hid in the bushes to see if there was a response.
• Burglars target homes that are empty, and have fled the scene on multiple occasions if they see a homeowner, police said.
• Groups typically involve two to four suspects who are dropped off by a rental car, often with a New York or Florida plate, which will circle back when the burglary is complete.

Authorities did not elaborate on how they knew the suspects were from overseas.

Abington Police are conducting extra patrols and utilizing proactive surveillance activities in the area.

Any additional questions or concerns can be addressed by Detective Sgt. Troy Hummel at 267-536-1111, thummel@abingtonpa.gov.